Chris-like virus, compositions, vaccines and uses thereof

Abstract

A novel virus, the Chris-like virus, has been identified and characterised. Sequences derived from a new paramyxovirus, Chris-like virus (CV), are provided. These sequences encode viral proteins with similarity to recognized viral proteins in other known and characterized paramyxoviruses. The CV viral sequences and the polypeptides encoded therein are useful for the detection, immunological protection and therapy of CV. The sequences provided by the invention are also useful for the isolation and characterization of CV, for the propagation of CV or its viral components in cells or tissue culture, for the generation of immunogenic polypeptides and vaccines, and for the screening and identification of antiviral agents for CV.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM [0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 19(e) to provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 483,337, Filed Jun. 27, 2003, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to the discovery of nucleic acid sequences encoding novel virus proteins of a new paramyxovirus, denoted Chris-like virus (CV). Specifically, the invention pertains to nucleic acid sequences encoding viral polypeptides of the Chris-like virus, amino acid sequences thereof, and uses thereof. The invention relates to diagnostic nucleic acid fragments, diagnostic proteins, diagnostic antibodies for the Chris-like virus and related viruses, and to the screening of e.g. antiviral agents. The invention also relates to protective polypeptides and vaccines that provide protection or elicit protective antibodies to CV infection, and to antibodies immunologically specific for these polypeptides for use in therapy. Furthermore, the...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017] CV sequences and portions thereof are useful as probes to diagnose the presence of virus in samples, and to isolate naturally occurring variants of the virus. These sequences also make available polypeptide sequences of CV antigens encoded within the CV genome and permit the production of polypeptides that are useful as standards or reagents in diagnostic tests and / or as components of vaccines. Antibodies, including for example both polyclonal and monoclonal, directed against CV epitopes contained within these polypeptide sequences are also useful for diagnostic tests, as therapeutic agents, for screening of antiviral agents, and for the isolation of the CV agent from which these sequences derive. In addition, by utilizing probes derived from these sequences it is possible to isolate and sequence other portions of the CV genome, thus giving rise to additional probes and polypeptides which are useful in the diagnosis and / or treatment, both prophylactic and therapeutic, of CV and of related viruses.

Problems solved by technology

The replication of all negative-strand RNA viruses is complicated by the absence of cellular machinery required to replicate RNA.

Therefore, upon entry into a host cell, the genomic RNA alone cannot synthesize the required RNA-dependent RNA polymerase.

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